International Living Community

Hi Don, Thanks for your question! We've checked in with Margaret Summerfield, Real Estate Trend Alert, to get an answer to your question. Here is her response, The cost would depend on a number of factors – where the property is located, if the seller is tax resident in Spain, etc. The typical costs are: 1, real estate agent fees (vary from 3% to 10%) 2, capital gains tax – which can be up to 24% of the gain for a non-resident, non EU/EEA seller. Deductions are allowed, and the tax can be lower if the seller is tax resident/selling a primary residence/using the proceeds to buy a primary residence 3, plusvalia (like a municipal land tax) – this is based on the rise in value of the land the property sits on from the time of purchase to the time of sale - and is on a sliding scale based on how long the seller has owned the property. If say you have held it for up to 5 years, it’s around 3.7% 4, legal costs (around 1%) 5, You also need to pay for certificates (including an energy performance certificate), cancelling a mortgage if there is one, etc.

Sorry. Posted in the wrong place. For Mexico look into Guadalajara and Oaxaca.

I suggest you download Idealista and you easily draw a map of where you want to live and they notify you of all rental properties in that area. You will easily find an apartment in Caminha for between 600 and 800 Euros per month. Good Luck it's a great place to live

Thanks for the interest and for a great idea. I have a few suggestions that may help. with the third and fourth week. First take a look at the type of climate you want to live in, Italy is mostly a mediterranean climate but parts of Italy are considered sub-arctic and some parts are very hot and very dry. .... Second look at the type of topography you want to live in! Mountains, seashore, valley, it is all here. Tuscany is rolling hills but Italy has a lot more and many places that are a lot less expensive. Umbria, Abruzzo and Le Marche come to mind immediatly for the small village, that very homey feeling with fresh local food and a sense of community,. But much of |Italy has that in its small towns. That is why I stressed finding the topography and the climate you want first. Finally for your last two weeks, I would rent a car and travel. and try to get lost. Italy has so much to offer that traveling might open your eyes to new things. Book BnBs or hotels on the fly and I have found that not using the standard BnB website can save you as much as 30% a night. You are definately in for a lot of fun... enjoy and I hope this helps make your journey even more successful. Chip Stites, Italy Correspondent, International Living Magazine.

Hi @SDKRANZ1 Thanks for your question! The Portugal page on our website and our Portugal Guide have plenty of information you might find helpful on everything you need to know about moving to and living in Portugal. Here are the links: https://internationalliving.com/countries/portugal/ https://www.ilbookstore.com/portugal-itinerary Best of luck!

Hi Chip. I am a dual US/Italian citizen living half the year in our house in my ancestral hometown in bella Sicilia and half in our house in Tucson, Arizona. I speak Italian, French and Spanish and am retired but my husband (who speaks Spanish and is learning Italian) is not so we arent ready to sell the Tucson property and move permanently abroad. This background to explain that we're not beginners when it comes to msking our way through Italian bureaucracy and I'm not finding a lit beyond the very basics in IL to hrlp us prepare for the next phase of leaving the US for good. I thought the Bootcamp seminar sounded good but unfortunately its not online and we aren't going to Las Vegas. In sum, Im hoping you might be the person to offer the "beyond the basics" information we are looking for to prepare for the fulltime European life we envision that invludes a homebase, msybe a second rustic getaway and travel. First, although I am in the Italian healthcare sustem, my husband is not yet an Italian citizen so what health insurance options would he have here? Health insurance with his current job in the IS is one of the reasons he hasnt retired yet and a concern even when he is here on vacation. Thank yoh do much and I look forward to hearing from you. Christine Conte

Hello, I've been able to get more than a 90-day supply with the drs approval in the states before leaving, but my insurance would not cover anything over 90, had to pay out of pocket. Depending on what drug you need, I would see if it is available in that (or those) countries without a prescription. For example, I was able to get metformin for type 2 diabetes in Ecuador just by asking for it at the counter.

Hi Patrick, Congrats on joining the IL community, it's great to have you! Remember in addition to the wealth of articles being posted on the main website www.InternationalLiving.com and running in the magazine https://members.internationalliving.com/magazine-issues/2024/ there's also the IL YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@internationalliving/featured, great videos to watch while working out, commuting, unwinding, etc. Explore & discover - happy trails! Best, IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch

Hi @DAVIDOSTON Thanks for your question! We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response, As with most countries, Portuguese immigration bureaucracy can be difficult to decipher. It's not uncommon to hear of Wildly different timelines for approval of visa applications. There are many variables, including the embassy or consulate where you made your application, the nature of the supporting documentation and evidence that you provided, whether you used a service provider to help with the application and even the temperament of individual bureaucrats. In general, the best approach is always to go with an experienced immigration consultant. Not only can they ensure that your application is done right the first time, they often know individuals within the bureaucracy who they can contact to expedite matters. In my experience, the charges they levy for these services are more than worth it.

Hi, I'm Bel the Mexico Correspondent and I was in San Miguel de Allende a couple of months ago. Is this the San Miguel you are referring to? I live in San Miguel de Cozumel, and there are other San Miguel's throughout the country so I just want to check I give you the correct information. Assuming it's this San Miguel, allow me to put your mind at ease. I went out to the popular expat neighbourhoods outside of the city and they were full of beautiful modern homes and good infrastructure for driving around, close to major shopping malls and quiet. But if mountains aren't your thing, then on both east and west coasts you'll fine lively, fun beach towns and cities with plenty to do and beautiful natural scenery. I would recommend checking out (scroll to the bottom of) our Mexico page which has 43 places listed an there are plenty to choose from depending on the area you'd like to live. You can find that here - https://internationalliving.com/countries/mexico/ Warmest regards, Bel - Mexico Correspondent.

Hi @MARKASHIRAZI Thanks for getting in touch. My recommendation would be to check out Warren and Julie's YouTube page. They're colleagues of ours and have spoken at our online events. They have expertise in the area and should be able to offer the information you need. Here's a link to their YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsMbJWT2e-3CRhy8LJOa7_g

Julie and Warren Knox have traveled across multiple countries with their pets. You might find their tips helpful too: https://magazine.internationalliving.com/internationalliving/library/item/may_2023/4094026/

Tronadora

Hi @REALPETE Thanks for getting in touch. My recommendation would be to check out Warren and Julie's YouTube page. They're colleagues of ours and have spoken at our online events. They have expertise in the area and should be able to offer the information you need. Here's a link to their YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsMbJWT2e-3CRhy8LJOa7_g Thanks again, Millie, IL Community Moderator

The much-awaited Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa has been relaunched with new terms and conditions. We've just posted an update on our website: https://internationalliving.com/malaysias-mm2h-relaunch-what-expats-need-to-know/

Hi @DJFAHRNBRUCH Thanks for your question! Alicante is lively, sunny, and inexpensive, but it’s also charming and fairly sophisticated. Its ambience is as Spanish as Madrid’s. The Costa Blanca’s climate is arguably the best in Europe, with 325 sunny days a year and low humidity. Expats from the U.K., northern Europe, and Latin America make up about 15% of the permanent population, so English is widely spoken. Alicante’s airport, the gateway to sprawling Benidorm and other Costa Blanca resorts, hosts flights from across Europe. To permanently move to Alicante and enjoy all it has to offer, you will need: A visa that grants you the right to live in Spain. For this you will need the contact information of an immigration attorney who can help you. Somewhere to live - either a long-term rental or a property to purchase. For this you will need the contact information of a real estate agent in Alicante. Health insurance - provided by a Spanish insurer or an international insurer with a Spanish arm. (Optional) A moving or relocation company to transport your belongings to Spain. You can find all of these contacts, plus tons more information about moving to Spain, in our Escape to Spain guidebook.

Thank you

Hi @DIANNEKMX, We’ve checked in with Jeff our Editor of Global Intelligence, to get an answer to your question. This was his response, Thanks for the question. No - the exclusionary amount is only relative to earned income, not passive income like Social Security and pensions, or dividends and interest or capital gains. Has to be income you earned from working.

Look for, and join, the "Placencia News & Happenings" group on Facebook. Volunteer opportunities get posted there. There is probably a similar group for Hopkins as well. Other options you could consider contacting directing are: Placencia Humane Society and Placencia Rotary. You should be able to contact both through Facebook. If you have not figured it out yet, Facebook is how things get done here in Belize! Shane Kenny IL Correspondent for Belize